Pest identification
What's eating my tulipa 'queen of night'?
Squirrels and mice
Signs: Bulbs dug up and eaten shortly after planting or emerging in spring; tell-tale shallow excavations.
Control: Cover beds with wire mesh (chicken wire) pegged just below the surface; plant in buried wire cages; use squirrel-deterrent sprays.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Holes in emerging leaves and stems close to soil level in early spring.
Control: Ferric phosphate pellets around emerging shoots in spring; grit mulch; hand-pick at night.
Aphids (tulip bulb aphid, Dysaphis tulipae)
Signs: Colonies on foliage and stems causing distortion and yellowing; can vector virus.
Control: Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil at first sign; remove heavily infested foliage.
Deer and rabbits
Signs: Flower buds and shoot tips browsed cleanly, often overnight in early spring.
Control: Deer/rabbit repellent sprays on emerging shoots; wire cloches or netting over beds until buds open.
Keep tulipa 'queen of night' pest-free
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Tulipa 'Queen of Night' pests — FAQ
What is eating my tulipa 'queen of night'?
Tulipa 'Queen of Night', a dark-maroon late tulip, is most threatened by squirrels and mice digging up and eating bulbs. Slugs nibble emerging shoots in spring, aphids can infest the foliage, and tulip fire (Botrytis) is triggered by wet conditions. Bulb-eating rodents are the single biggest complaint.
How do I get rid of squirrels and mice on tulipa 'queen of night'?
Bulbs dug up and eaten shortly after planting or emerging in spring; tell-tale shallow excavations. Cover beds with wire mesh (chicken wire) pegged just below the surface; plant in buried wire cages; use squirrel-deterrent sprays.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on tulipa 'queen of night'?
Holes in emerging leaves and stems close to soil level in early spring. Ferric phosphate pellets around emerging shoots in spring; grit mulch; hand-pick at night.
How do I get rid of aphids (tulip bulb aphid, dysaphis tulipae) on tulipa 'queen of night'?
Colonies on foliage and stems causing distortion and yellowing; can vector virus. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil at first sign; remove heavily infested foliage.
How do I get rid of deer and rabbits on tulipa 'queen of night'?
Flower buds and shoot tips browsed cleanly, often overnight in early spring. Deer/rabbit repellent sprays on emerging shoots; wire cloches or netting over beds until buds open.